Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The complete guide to the use of aromatic oils in aromatherapy, herbalism, health and well-being

by Julia Lawless

This is one of the bestselling aromatherapy books of all time with vital information on plant origins, medical herbalism and the properties and actions of herbs and essential oils. It covers 165 oils, their actions, characteristics, principal constituents and folk traditions and is a must for experienced aromatherapists and beginners alike.


This essential handbook is used by aromatherapists all over the world and is one of the most successful titles in this area. It includes an A–Z listing of an enormous range of internationally relevant aromatic plants. Comprehensive information is provided for each entry, for example:


• Common name, Latin name, botanical plant family
• General Description – what it looks like
• Distribution – where it’s found
• Herbal Folk Tradition – traditional uses
• Actions – what it’s good for
• Extraction – How the oil is extracted
• Characteristics – what the oil looks like, and which other oils it blends well with
• Safety Information.


The Encyclopedia also covers:
• History of aromatherapy and herbalism
• How aromatic plants work on your body mind
• How to make your own blends
• Uses for oils in the home.


This is a classic guide to essential oils and will remain a vital source of information for generations to come.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Reference, Herbs, Self Help, Spirituality, Plants

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautiful book, pleasure to view, but contains erroneous information. Author often draws conclusions about therapeutic properties of essential oils based on data from herbalism, not aromatherapy. Essential oils can have radically different therapeutic properties than their parent plant matter. Enjoyable as an introductory book but not accurate enough to serve as an aromatherapy reference.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good beginners guide to Essential Oils, i really like the guide at the back where you can check which oils are used for something like a headache or muscle pain instead of searching through each oil looking for the right one. I will probably read a few other books on essential oils not just this one. And i was slightly disappointed to see no blend recipes. I prefer to use natural remedy's if i can instead of chemical filled pills that only do more harm than good. But this is definitely a book i will keep close by.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

good to have on the shelf as a general reference. i would have preferred greater standardization of the formatting within the EO profiles--keep the same colored boxes for the same tidbits. it's layout is similar to most DK Eyewitness books. the EO profiles are not in alphabetical order per common names which is another sticking point for me.

[Emilija · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good beginners guide to essential oils. I really liked the guide about the different oils, and the brief history of essential oils given at the beginning of the book.

[Paige Vanderbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be incredibly helpful and FULL of information. I mean, there’s stuff in here I didn’t even know I needed to know. Before it gets into the individual oils it begins with history and folklore about aromatics and oils, covers safety topics, explains aromatherapy and alchemy, and even explains how essential oils are made and how they can be used. It talks about flower waters, facial steams, baths, and lotions and the type of oils to use depending on some basic uses.

If you’re worried about being a super beginner who can’t read latin names or botanical classifications, the book has you covered! I kept the full glossary of terms at the back of the book marked so I could flip back to it while reading and it really helped.

The actual oils are all presented in encyclopedia format in alphabetical order and include botanical information, synonyms, distribution and location info, herbal and folk traditions, extraction, uses, safety data and even the chemistry of the oil itself. It’s easy to search by going alphabetically, or looking it up in the index in the back. You can also quickly search for specific oils based on their uses or even health conditions.

I’m not an expert at using oils for health or aromatherapy just because I read it, but this is one I can definitely see me using as a regular reference book going forward and I recommend it to anyone who works with essential oils already or is just starting out.

[Saleris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a nice book to keep on a shelf when you're not having a good day remembering basic information. If you're a beginner, it's a good book to buy. If you're a professional, you won't want this book unless you're the type that wants all the books on aromatherapy "just because".

[Thomas]

"At last a clear and systematic distillation of useful information about a truly comprehensive spectrum of essential oils and absolutes.

" --John Steele, American Aromatherapy AssociationThe definitive AZ reference guide to essential aromatherapy oils. Aromatherapy expert Julia Lawless shares her extensive knowledge in this detailed and systematic survey of more than 190 essential aromatherapy oils. From commonly used oils such as lavender, frankincense, ylang ylang, and tea tree oils to the more obscure oils including deertounge, oakmoss, cananga, and angelica, The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils offers a wide variety of uses and cures for everything from wrinkles to kidney stones.

The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils gives detailed information on the most commonly available and widely used flower oils and aromatics including:The exact origins, synonyms, and related plantsMethods of extractionthe herbal/folk tradition for each plantthe uses of each plantaromatherapy applicationshome and commercial usesThis easy-to-use volume lets you access essential information in a variety of ways with a Therapeutic Index, a Botanical Index, and Botanical Classifications, plus safety information.

[Dane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is supposed to be the best reference book on the topic that you can get, but I find it hard to work with; the oils are listed alphabetically by their genus names rather than their common names, and you 'd have to pick one by one, oil by oil, through the book for which ones do what. Not the most user-friendly guide I could imagine.

[Harmony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic book if you want to primarily use essential oils, with a little reference to the plant as a whole. I enjoyed reading the historical sections about how past civilizations used herbs and am looking forward to learning more in the subject of herbalism.

[Merilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info on eo's, but uses under-defined terms and processes

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is relatively thorough and well referenced.

[Betsy Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

its has great info on plants should be a second book to get after the Wiccan Bible . I knew some about the oils .

[Hanako · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a ton of information and will be a great reference - though it's not really something you sit and read through. Will be great to look up info about different oils though.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful reference book.

[Terri Palermo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably one of the original (and therefore reads a bit dated) basic handbooks for oils. A great foundation but I know there are more recently written guidebooks with updated information.

[Sandra Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must have for practitioners of natural healing. It is complete and easy for anyone to understand.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would be lost without this book. Easy to access information, excellent guidelines, user friendly. One of my personal favorites

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, good reference

[Kenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have turned to this simple and beautifully presented book for nearly two decades. It’s easy to use, informative, and makes understand and using essential oils simple.

[Maria Georgakou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential for everyone who wants to know essential oils

[Franci · Rating 4 out of 5]

#12 of 2022

[Sparkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful and informative

[Mrs Reddy Mallender-Katzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alot of information i didn't need, very little information i did

[Sarah Mackintosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was really informative, and I liked the brief history that they author shared. A good reference.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative but a seems slightly outdated. an updated version would be great

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This illustrated encyclopedia is wonderful. I particularly enjoy the photos and sketches of the plants and the photos of the color of the essential oils. This adds a wealth of information that is not available in other texts.

This book is in three parts: An Introduction to Aromatics, Therapeutic Index and The Oils. The first section gives the reader and introduction to aromatherapy including history and how essential oils work with the systems of the body. There is a wealth of information and each topic is briefly covered, with references. The second section gives a therapeutic index grouped by systems of the body, with an abbreviation guide for suggested applications. The final section covers 165 essential oils. This is the most fascinating to me. It includes color photos and sketches with a description of the leaves, fruits and other plant material. We also receive a brief description of herbal and folk tradition, aromatherapy/home use, other uses, distribution and other species information. This section is the main reason I enjoyed this book so much.

Overall, I would recommend this book for readers who love aromatherapy and want to learn more about particular essential oils. I also feel it's important to have other more recently written and published essential oils books to cross reference with for updated safety information.

I have ISBN 1-85230-661-0 from Element Books, Inc. 1997.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

contains history of herbal and essential oil usage (including a welcome disclaimer regarding the term aromatherapy), how oils affect bodily systems, summary of various oil applications with guidelines, blending tips and extraction information. the main bulk of the book is an extensive list of oils with biological data, plant description and distribution, historical use, oil properties and safety info (including blending tips), and general application tips. a therapeutic index lists ailments with possible oils and methods of treatments. a botanical classification shows how oils are related. while i appreciate the methods being grouped together, rather than repeating the same formulas under massage oil, bath oil, etc, the oil encyclopedia, and the therapeutic index, the information seems difficult to gather and requires much cross referencing. after looking up a complaint, one has to jump to the specific oils then the methods section. Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils by Aroma Tools has the same information (perhaps not the botanical section) in a more accessible format, and with additional information - although with a heavy bias towards doterra products.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia Lawless has written a concise encyclopedia of essential oils. I was delighted to receive my copy as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

I enjoyed the first six chapters that introduce the reader to the history of aromatherapy and to the present day applications for therapeutic use. There is a therapeutic index and general glossary that readers will find useful at the end of the book.

I appreciated the laymen's descriptions under each oil on their uses. I was a sometimes overwhelmed by the terminology of the "Actions" of each oil. Clove for example is an "... antihelmintic,antibiotic, anti-emetric, antihistiminic, anti-heumatic, antineuralgic, anti-oxidant, antiseptic, antiviral, aphrodisiac, carminative, counter-irritant,expectorant,larvicidal, spasmolytic,stimulant,stomachic, vermifuge. (p. 84) Thankfully, most of these terms were covered in the glossary.

I am very pleased with my copy of the very extensive and professionally written The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils.

[Susan Brougher · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard to find an accurate reference for essential oils that also incorporates the herbal/folk tradition. It provides a broader education for those practicing aromatherapy, going a step beyond the many available essential oil and aromatherapy books. The beautiful plant pictures and the layout with different colored sections highlighting the information made it an easy enjoyable read, not to mention a wonderful keepsake. This book includes essential oils for body systems, mind, and emotions along with therapeutic guidelines, methods of application, and safety data. A perfect book to use in conjunction with others that cover combining essential oils in formulas. I have used this book over the years and as a nurse, aromatherapist, and energy healer I highly recommend it. Works well for class instruction too.

[Wendy Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from a GoodReads contest/giveaway. Book offers a good number of plants and their botanical classifications. It also has a separate section which lists which of them can be used to treat common and not so common problems in the body. However, this book alone will not help you with essential oils. There are no recipes or anecdotes. Book is in black and white. Colored pictures or drawings would help with identifying plants in the wild.